District Five Director of Student Nutrition offers food safety reminders for Holiday Weekend
District Five Director of Student Nutrition offers food safety reminders for Holiday Weekend
With the Fourth of July quickly approaching, District Five wants to ensure that you all enjoy a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend. As you prepare to fire up the grill or barbecue, Director of Student Nutrition for District Five Todd Bedenbaugh has a few reminders on The Danger Zone when it comes to properly preparing food.
The Danger Zone is the temperature range between 40 °F and 140 °F in which foodborne bacteria can grow rapidly to dangerous levels that can cause illness. Leaving perishables out too long in the Danger Zone is one of the most common mistakes people make, especially during warmer months.
Keep Food Out of the Danger Zone
How to steer clear of the Danger Zone this Fourth of July:
- Without refrigeration or a heat source, perishables should not be left out more than two hours if the temperature is at or below 90 ⁰F, and only one hour if the temperature is at or above 90 ⁰ Since the weather will likely be very hot on July 4th, food should be returned to the cooler within an hour. If you are not sure how long food has been sitting out, throw it out immediately.
- Always keep cold food COLD, at or below 40 °F, in coolers or in containers with a cold source such as ice or frozen gel packs. Keep hot food HOT, at or above 140 °F, on the grill or in insulated containers, heated chafing dishes, warming trays and/or slow cookers. If food needs to be reheated, reheat it to 165 °F.
- Pack an appliance thermometer in your cooler to ensure food stays at or below 40 °F. Divide large amounts of food into shallow containers for fast chilling and easier
- Packing drinks in a separate cooler is strongly recommended, so the food cooler isn’t opened frequently. Keep the cooler in the shade, and try to cover it with a blanket or tarp to keep it cool. Replenish the ice if it
- Use the food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry and seafood. Use our Is It Done Yet? guide to learn where to place the thermometer in each You absolutely cannot tell whether the meat is safely cooked by just looking.
- If you plan to marinate meat and/or poultry for several hours or overnight prior to the event, make sure to marinate them in the refrigerator – not on the counter. If you plan to reuse the marinade from raw meat or poultry, make sure to boil it first to destroy any harmful
- To ensure safety, leftovers must be put in shallow containers for quick cooling and refrigerated to 40 ⁰F or below within two